Improvement in electric-telegraph apparatus



3Sheets-Sheetl R. E. HOUSE. ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH APPARATUS.

Patented July 25,1876.

li u nio 7/iines3es:

s 12 V I ".PHERS, PHO'lU-LITHOGRAFNEH, WASHINGTON D. C

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.-

R. E. HOUSE. ELECTRIC-TELEGRAPH APPARATUS. No.180,091. Patented July 25,1876.

77537165563: fiwen/ or.

- WN'MW N- FETERS. FHO'I'D-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTONv D C UNITED STATES PATENT Gretna ROYAL E. HOUSE, OF BINGHAM'DON, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT m ELECTRIC- I'ELEGRAPl-I APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 180.091, datedJnly 25,1876; application filed February 20, 1874.

and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, in whicl1'- Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a side elevation of the printing-instrument, partly in section. Fig. 2, Sheet 2, is an end View partly broken away. Fig. 3,.Sheet 3, is a top-plan view. Fig. 4, Sheet 3, is a plan view of the guide-bed detached from theinstrument; and Fig. 5, Sheet 3, is a detached view of the s n'ing'shears and connections, by which the printed record is cut from the printing-fillet of paper.

' Similar letters of reference in the accompaing drawings denote the same parts.

My invention has for its object to automatically print a telegraph-message in ordinary typography from a message-record composed of a narrow fillet of paper, in which two parallel rows of slits are out and arranged to be read alternatelyfrom one row to the other,

the slits indicating bytheir length the letters ofthe alphabet and other message-symbols. To this end the invention consists, first, in

mechanism for feeding the slitted record through the instrument, mechanism to set a type-wheel in position for printing by the movements of the slitted record','and mechanism for printing upon a plain fillet of paper after the type-wheel has been set. It further consists in the mechanism and combination of mechanisms by which the slitted fillet is fed through the instrument. It further consists in the mechanism and combination of mechanisms for setting the type-wheel. It further consists in the mechanism and combination of mechanisms for taking the impression of the type-wheel upon the plain fillet of paper. It further consists in an oscillating type-wheel, having the type arranged upon it in the order of the frequency of their occurrence in telegraph-messages, and adapted to be automaticall y set from an initial point for every message-sign by means of slits in a moving fillet of paper, which slits, by their length, or by.

in the slits to set the 'typewheel.

the distance between the rear end of one and the rear end of that next adjoining, designate themessage-signs and correspond to the message-signs on the type-wheel. It further consists in setting the type-wheel by the messageslitsin the record-fillet through the medium of two gage-fingers, which work within the'slits to turn the wheel. It further consists in automatically stopping the slitted record-fillet while an impression is being taken from the type-wheel upon a plain fillet of paper, and automatically setting the slitted record-fillet in motion again after the impression is completed. It further consistsin the mechanism and combination of mechanisms by which these automatic movements are effected. It further consists in operating the printing cylinder or platen by the force ot'a spring, to impress the characters of a type-Wheel upon a plain lillet of paper. It further consists in the mechanism by which the spring is operated. it further consists in adjusting the speed of the shaft which bears the gage-fingers relative to the feed of the slitted record by means of the slits themselves, for the purpose of securing the proper throw of the gage-fingers with- It further consists in the mechanism and combination of mechanisms for adjusting the speed of such shaft from the feed of the slitted record. It

further consists in a printing-telegraph instrument of the combination of an oscillating typewheel, a time and escapement shaft, a camdriving shaft, a pressing platemcylinder, mechja'nism for feeding a slitted record-fillet over a guidebed, and a brake for stopping the mo-;

tion of such feeding mechanism, all operating, automatically, so that at each oscillation of the time'shaft and each corresponding revo- In the accompanying drawings, A is an upright, mounted upon a suitable frame, and supporting a cross'shaft, 0, near its top, which shaft carries a grooved drhdng-pulley, D, at its outer end, and a serrated or toothed feedcylinder, B, at its inner end.

F is a pressure-roller, hung upon the lower end of a bent arm, G, pivoted to the side of the upright, and supportingthepressurerrollerjust in front of the fced-cylinder. Aspring, 72/, attached to the upright, exerts its tension against the arm G, and bears the roller against the fecd-cylinder with a yielding pressure, which may be regulated by making the spring adjustable in any convenient manner. The pressure-roller insures the feed of the paper containing. the messageslits, by holding it against the sharp teeth of the feed-cylinder, and it is formed or covered with leather or other yielding substance, which shall receive the impress of the teeth and prevent the paper from slippin The roller isfurther made with two parallel peripheral grooves, a, at the proper distance apart to receive the parallel embossed tracks in the paper fillet containing the messageslits. The upper end of the roller-arm Grforms a finger-piece, H, which,

when the arm is moved back to carry the roller out of contact with the feed-cylinder, is caught by a latch, I, pivoted to the top of the upright. The latch is also formed with a finger-piece, and its forward end is beveled in front of the pivot K, to receive the action of spring, L, by which it is held engaged with the roller-arm, as shown in Fig. 3.

N is a horizontal guide-bed, arranged in rear of and in line with the feed-cylinder, for the purpose of directing the messagefillet q thereto, and to afford support for the mechanism by which the slits in such record are made to control the movements of the typewheel in producing a printed message. The

.gnide'bed is supported in position by means of a sleeve, n, fastened to its under side, and titted over an upright shaft or spindle, 1, secured to the main frame.- The lower end of the sleeve is provided with a front projecting arm, 0", which is connected by a coiled spring, 17, to a friction or other adjusting pin, in the side of the upright A. This connectionallows the bed a slight lateral swing, to compensate for any irregularities in the running of the paper to the feed cylinder, the holding-spring yielding readily for this purpose when the paper presses against, the side of the bed.

r is a stop secured to the frame of the instrument within the path of the sleeve-arm o, and formed with two shoulders, between which the end of the arm works, to limit the swing of the bed.

The top surface of the guidebed, for about halt'its width, and for a certain distance in front of the supporting-sleeve, is arched ormade convex, and slotted longitudinally for the passage of two parallel gage-fingers, h, which are mounted upon a shaft, jf, held in parallel V-shaped ribs or rails, secured to the bed in front and rear of the arch, and in line with the slots therein, such slots and ribs being the same distance apart as the grooves in the pressure-roller. S is a gage side, arranged at the inner edge of the guide-bed, and composed of a band or strip, which curves over the arch, and forms deep guides at the front and rear thereof. screws 12', which are adjusted to regulate the position of the gageside, for the purpose of properly guiding the fillet g with its tracks upon the ribs of the bed.

The opposite or pressure side of the bed is composed of a strip, u, having a series of projections, y, upon its face, and set into a wide groove formed lengthwise in the bed. It is held up near or against the side of the arch, so that its projections shall bear against the fillet of paper. by means of the bent spring C, placed behind it, and secured'to a block, 0, at or near the outer edge of the bed. The block is slotted for the passage of a set-screw, by which it is adapted for adjustment to reg ulate the position of the guide and its press ure against the paper. t is the cover, hinged to the outer edge of the bed, and formed with a slotted concavity terminating at each end in parallel grooves, to tit upon the arch and ribs of the bed beneath. The gage-lingers extend into the slots of the concavity to prevent the paper from slipping otf their ends when in motion. The hinges are composed of lateral arms 9' at the ends of the cover, hung upon pintles h, formed upon blocks a, secured to the outer edge of the bed. The ends of the pressure-bar are provided with loops W W, which extend around the .pintles of the hinges, and rest upon the bed, so as to guide the pressure-bar in its movements to and from the paper. Pins or cams a, secured to the hinge-arms 9', project within the loops above the pintles, and, when the cover is swung open by its handle 1', bear against the inner sides of the loops to movethcm back, and retract the pressure-bar from the fillet ofpaper. This construction facilitates the. application and removal of the paper record,

because the act of opening the cover draws back the pressure side, and widens the space between it and the gage side S. When the position of the pressure-bar is changed by adjusting the spring G, the guide-loops are also changed with it, and may, therefore, be soplaced that the cams will have no eflect to move them when the cover is opened. To overcome this di'tficulty the pintle-blocks are made adjustable by means of slots and setscrews, as shown in Fi .3, so that they may also be changed wheneverrtheposition of the pressure-bar is altered by the springs. The.

It is held in place by setadjustment of the pintle-blocks is also necessary to compensate for wear of the loops and cams, and may in such case'be made without adjusting the springs. The outer edge of the cover is formed with a series of lateral projections, which fit between the projections on the pressure side when the cover is closed, for the purpose of preventing the edge of the paper from curling up or wrinkling as it is drawn over the bed. The pressure or weight of the cover upon the fillet of paper is regulated by a set-screw, a, which passes down through a lateral plate or projection on the swinging edge of the cover, and bears upon the arched top of the guide side S, as shown in Fig. 3.

,The opening between the cover and guidebed is the deepest at the rear end, where the paper enters, to afibrd room for the passage of the paper when two fillets are pasted together at the ends. The shaft of the gagefingers is operated from the driving-pulley D in the following manner: a is aninclined shaft, having its bearings,respectively, in the side of the upright A, and in a hanger, 0 on the under side of the guide-bed. and r are beveled pinions mounted upon opposite ends of the shaft, the former .to engage with a beveled pinion, m, on the end of the sha-ftj,and the latter with a beveled gear-wheel, S, mounted upon a short stud in the side of the upright beneath the driving-pulley. Motion is communicated to the gear-wheel from the driving-pulley by means ot'two friction-wheels, 15, mounted upon a verticalshaft, V, so as to bear against the faces of the gear-wheel and pulley between their respective shafts. The friction-wheels are clamped to their shaft between a fixed plate, 10, and a screw-plate, a, by which means they can be readily applied and removed when desired. The faces of the wheel and pulley are corrugated, notched, or otherwise roughened, in radial lines, to prevent the friction-wheels from slipping; and to still further guard against such difficulty, and at the same time prevent too much wear, the frictionwheels are made of leather, vulcanized rubber, or other yielding substance.

The shaft of the friction-wheels works with- .in a long tubular bearing, W, which, to prevent it from turning, is squared upon the outside and fitted within corresponding recesses in the parallel arms 3 secured to the side of the upright. Flat springs a, attached to the parallel arms, bear against the tubular bearing to hold the friction-wheels against the pulley and gear wheel, the degree of pressure being controlled by set-screws j.

j The instrument is operated by a belt or band havinga frictional connection with a suitable 'motor, and passing around the grooved driving-pulley, so as to move it in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1. Its motion is communicated, through the connections above described, to the shaft j, and moves it and the gage-fingers in the opposite direction.

' The gage-fingers are held upon the shaft j,

independently of each other, being mounted upon friction-sleeves S, having a loose segmental gear, e between them. Each sleeve is composed of two half-boxes held upon the shaft by a spring, t, bent to embrace them, and which is secured together at the ends by a screw, a. By adjusting this screw the ends of the spring are moved to and from each other, for the purpose of regulating the force with which the sleeves shall grasp the shaft.

When the fillet of paper containing the message-slits, to be produced in printed characters, is placed in the guide-bed, the cover of the latter is shut down upon it, and the pressure-roller released so as to hold it in contact with the feed-cylinder. The paper is arranged with the concave side of the parallel grooves fitting upon the ribs of the bed, and the gage side S adjusted up to its edge, for guiding it properly to the roller, and so that its slits shall register with the points of the gage-fingers. The pressure-bar is adjusted to bear against the opposite edge with sufficient force to guide it without wrinkling. The gage side and pressure-bar thus guide the paper to the pressure-roller, with its embossed tracks within the parallel grooves thereof, and on the ribs of the bed, for the purpose ofinsuring the proper registry of the slits with the gagefingers. If the points of the fingersdo not accurately coincide with the slits, they are further adjusted by set screws 0 bearing against their sides, and held in the ends of arms (0 rising from thefriction sleeves. This guidance of the-paper directs its tracks within the parallel grooves of the pressure-roller, for the purpose of preserving the form of the tracks, in order that the paper may he used as often as desired to reproduce the message.

After the paper has been adjusted, the instrument is set in motion to move it over the bed. Its pressure is sufficient to overcome the force of the friction-sleeves S, and hold the points of the gage-fingers below the surface of the bed, within the slots at the front end of the arch. When, however, a slit in the paper presents itself to the point of a gage-finger, the pressure of the paper is removed so that the friction-sleeve turns with the shaft j, and throws the gage-finger back to the rear end of such slit, where it is again arrested by the paper and moved forward to its starting-point. Thus the fingers are alternately thrown back and carried forward as the alternate rows of message-slits present themselves, the length of their backward throws being governed by the length of the slits, for the purpose of setting the type-wheel, as I will presently describe.

It is essential that the force with which the friction-sleeves grasp their shaft shall not be strong enough to cause thefingers to tearthe paper when thrown back to the rear ends of the slits, and since the paper fillets may sometimes vary in strength, or the speed of the machine increase therorce of the fingers, the

friction-sleeves are made adjustable, as above described, so that the fingers may be thrown back with a force proportioned to the resisting strength of the paper at the ends of the slits.

A curved guide, 1', secured to the frontupright A of the frame under the feed'cylinder, serves to direct the slitted record out of the instrument. After a slitted record has passed.

out of the guide bed it often occurs that the gage-fingers have not been returned to the front of the arch, and inasmuch as their return to such point is necessary before a new record can be applied to the guide bed, I have provided the following means for effecting this result by operating the arm of the pressure-roller F: A bent lever, '5 is hung upon the end of a horizontal arm, j projecting inward from the upright A to a point near the gage-fingers. Its horizontal portion extends in front of such fingers, and the upper end of the upright portion is connected, by a long rod, W, to the shaft or pin of the pressureroller. When the arm of the pressureroller is moved away from the teed-cylinder the connecting'rod moves the bent lever against the lower ends of the gage-fingers to throw their points to the front of the arch, as will be clearly understood by reference to Fig. l.

The mechanism thus far described is employed solely for feeding and otherwise mani mlating the record containing the messageslits, so that it shall be operated upon by the mechanism for reproducing the message in printed characters, as I will now proceed to describe.

A and A are uprights arranged upon the frame of the instrument, the former a short distance in rear of the upright A and the latter across the frame opposite the upright A P is a light type-wheel mounted upon a shaft, Q, having its hearings in these two uprights near the top, and carrying a small pinion, m, which engages with the segmental gear, 6 on the shaft of the gage-fingers. The segmental gear carries a cross-ban at or near its rim, of sufficient length to bear against the rear edges of both gage-fingers.

\Vhen the fingers are at rest in front of the arch of the guide-bed the type-wheel is also at rest, with a blank space or type at the top; but when a finger is released by the presentation thereto of a slit in the moving fillet of paper, it presses against the cross-bar, and bears back the segmental gear so as to turn the pinion m, and with it the shaft and type-wheel, in the direction of the arrow, Fig. l. The type-wheel continues to move until the finger is arrested at the rear end of the slit, when it stops with the required type at the top in a position to print upon the blank paper when the pressing mechanism is brought down upon it. After the impression has been taken the paper at the end of the slit again moves forward the gage-finger to the front of the arch, and the type-wheel is turned back to its first position by the influence of the suspended weight f upon the type-wheel'shaft. This return movement also causes the pinion m to carry back the segmental gear and hold the cross-bar f in contact with the returning gage-finger, so that it shall be in position to receive the action of the adjoining finger for, again setting the type-wheel. The weight therefore serves the twofold purpose of bolding the cross-bar up to ,the gage-fingers for setting the type-wheel and returning the lattcr after it has been set. A spring may, however, be employed for this purpose instead of the weight, if preferred.

From this description it will be seen that the type-wheel starts always from the same point to bring the required type under the pressing devices, and is returned to such point after the impression has been taken.

The type are arranged at regular intervals upon the wheel, and the distance the latter must turn to bring the required letter under the pressing devices is governed by the length of the message-slits in the moving fillet of paper; or, in other words, the gage-fingers are thrown back to different points, according to the length of the slits, and, therefore, move the wheel a greater or less distance to bring the requiredtype uppermost under the pressing mechanism.

As certain letters occur more frequently than others in telegraphic messages, I have transposed the alphabet, and represented the mostfrequently-occurring letters by the shortest slits in the fillet of paper, gradually increasing the length of the slits in proportion to the decrease in the occurrence of the letters. This arrangement is adopted in order that the recording-instrument by which the slits are made, and which forms the subject of a separate application for Letters Patent, filed by me, may be operated with great rapidity. The order in which the letters most frequently occur, and in which they are arranged upon the recording-instrument, is'as follows, to wit: ett'aos'rnhdlcufmpbwyg c k ac qj z. To these are added the separatrix or space between the words and the period or finis. The separatrix being the most frequently-occurring sign in all messages, precodes the others, and is there ore represented.

by the shortest slit, while the period or finis necessarily concludes a message, and is represented by the longest slit. This number and order are followed in arranging the type upon the wheel P, not only for the purpose of harmonizing with the recording-instrument, but so that the wheel shallimove the shortest distance for the n'iessage-symbol most frequently used, its throws gradually increasing in length as the letters 01'. symbols decrease in use. By this means the type wheel may also be operated with great rapidity to print a message accurately from the copy or slitted record-fillet.

A is ah 'acket arranged upon the rear side of the upright A near the top, and provided with a horizontal stud, S projecting inward toward the upright A a is the presstso',091

ing or platen cylinder, borne immediately over the type-wheel, and at right angles thereto, by means of a pin, 2 in the forward end of an arm, a which in its turn is hung upon the stud of the bracket. The bracketis slotted and adapted for adjustment by a set-screw to regulate the position of the platen-cylinder with respect to the type-wheel. The cylinder is constructed with a series of flattened surfaces or platens, and with a row of circumferential teeth or spurs at each end of the platens. r is a. wide fiat arm, articulated upon the stud S and formed with a concave front end to fit up against the under side of the platen-cylinder, for the purpose of supporting and holding the fillet of paper q, upon which the message is to be printed, in contact with the platens while an impression is being taken.

The concave end is slotted for the passage of the type upon the 'wheel beneath, and is also grooved to receive the, spurs by which the paper and ink-band are fed along. A spring, t attached to the stud and to a projection on the side ofthe arm 0, holds the latter up to the cylinder and insures the action of the spurs upon the'paper, 76 is the endless inkband 'iassing'around the platen-cylinder and its spurs, and around a roller, 6 mounted upon the frame of the instrument, in rear of the guide-bed.

The ink-band is fed along upon the arm a over the plain fillet of paper which, after receiving the impression of the type-wheel, passes out of the instrument along a horizontal table, g secured to the front of the upright A in'line, or nearly so, with the arm a as shown. 00 and g are reversed ratchetwheels or rows of ratchet-teeth, formed beside each other upon the end of the platen-cylinder, next the arm a and there are as many teeth in each row as there are platens upon the cylinder. tion with a spring-pa\\'l,f d pivoted imme diately above it to the upright A for the purpose of rotating the platen-cylinder to feed the ink-band and fillet of paper over the typewheel, while the teeth of the row g engage with the fixed pawl e on the upright, to prevent the platen-wheel from being rotated too far by its momentum. A flat spring, 0 hung to the under side of the arm a, engages the ratchet-wheel 11 with its forward end, and prevents the platen-cylinder from rotating backward. This spring is held at the proper distance from the arm, to operate as a lockingpawl, by means of a short stud, 0 on the under side ofsuch arm, as shown in Fig.1.

l is a cam-shaft, havingits hearings in the uprights A A at some distance below the shaft of the type-wheel. It is employed to the printing-platen down upon the type-wheel,

and to apply a brake to the driving-pulley for;

the purpose ofstopping the movement of the slitted fillet while an impression is beingtaken upon the printing-fillet;

is a cam secured to the end of the shaft 6 under the pressing mechanism, and h is an The row a? is employed in connecupright rod mounted upon the cam by an eccentric band, JV, with its upper end entering a socket, g hung upon the inner end of the pin 2 which carries the platei'i-cylinder. The socket and rod are connected by a spring, 70 coiled around the latter, so that when the cam-shaft is rotated theplaten-cylinder will inder is moved up by the rotation of the shaft,

and just before it reaches the limit of its upward throw, a tooth of the ratchet m encounters the spring-pawl 01 and rotates the cylinder the distance of one tooth and platen, as above stated, thereby causing the spurs to feed along the ink-band and paper to receive the next impression of type.

on isanother cam, fixed upon the opposite end of the shaft F, to support the lower forked end of an inclined brake or stop-bar, a The forward or upper end of this bar tits and works within an inclined groove in theside of the l'rontupright, A, under the feed-cylinder B, and carries at its extremity an adjustable stop, t which nearly touches the projecting shaft of the pressure-roller F, when the latter is in contact with the feed-cylinder. An adjustable brake, b is also attached to the bar, and is curvedroundto the opposite side of the upright, so that its shoe shall occupy a position just under, and slightly to the rear of, the driving-pulley B.

The forward end of the brake is guided and supported by a notch in the rear end of the upper arm 'I or in any other proper and convenient way. The two cams 3' and m are so arranged upon their shaft that when, under the influence of the former, the printing devices are making. an impression upon the paper, the latter will throw the brake against the driving-pulley, and prevent its further rotation. This stops the movement of the slitted paper fillet, and, therefore, the movement of the gage-fingers and type-wheel, until the impression has been completed. The periphcry of the driving-pulley may be roughened, if desired, to render the action of the brake more certain.

When the brake is applied the stop i moves out the pressure-roller F from contact with the paper, and prevents the possibility of any failure in arresting the movement of the latter at the proper instant. One of these stopping devices might, perhaps, be dispensed with without impairing the efficiency of the instrument; but I prefer to employ them both, to prevent accidents in case one should failto perform its office.

The brake and stop are made adjustable, to

compensate for wear, and to enable them to be brought into action at the proper time. t is a time-shaft, having its hearings in the uprights A and A between the camshaft and the shaft of type-wheel; and b is an upright arm, secured to the time-shaft beneath the type-wheel. The upper end of the arm can ries a pivoted pawl, a, to engage with a row of adjusting teeth, 0 on the side of the typewheel, equaling in number the type on the pe riphery. The point of the pawl is held up to the teeth by a spring, 01 secured to the timeshalt in any convenient manner, and the extent of its upward movement is limited by a stop, 0 at the top of the pawl-arm. The timeshalt is further constructed, beside the pawl arm, with a transverse open frame, of quadrangular shape, which tips forward and back when the shaftis oscillated. The front surfaces of the forward and rear sides of the frame form stops or detents c and to, respectively, ior the long radial detent-arm 0 secured to the cam-shaft beneath. The point of the detentarm rests against the for and stop when the time-shaft is stationary.

The camshaft and time-shaft are driven by the same motor that moves the drivingqmlley, and its power is communicated to them by means of belts or hands running over pulleys (1 1' attached to friction-sleeves thereon. The

pulleys and sleeves rotate continuously in opposite directions, as shown by the arrows,

Fig. 1, and grasp their shafts with sufficient frictional force to rotate them also, excepting when they are locked by the stopping or detaining devices. When this occurs the friction-sleeves turn on the shafts, so that their rotation is unimpeded. The friction-sleeves are each composed of two half-boxes, held together upon the shaft by bolts and nuts, and by springs S surrounding the bolts. By moving the nuts the tension of the springs is adjusted to regulate the force with which the sleeves shall grasp the shafts.

The pulley 1' is madein two parts, one be ing afiat disk, secured firmly to the frictionsleeve, and the other a shallow drum or barrel, mounted loosely upon the sleeve, and containing a coiled spring. One end of the spring is secured to the drum, and the other to the disk, so that when the camshaft is sta tionary, and the drum is moved by the driving-belt, it will wind up the spring until its tension overcomes the frictional force of the sleeve, and causes the latter to turn also. \Vhen .the detent-arm 0 of the camshaft is released by the stops of the time-shalt, the force ofthe coiled spring throws the shaft, cams,

and arm rapidly round, and thus insures their prompt action without expending the power of the motor, which would otherwise be required to drive the belt, and, therefore, the

bed, as above described, and the plain fillet laid upon the spring-arm r over the typewheel and under the ink-band and pressingcylinder. As the moving record'lillet presents a slit to one or the other of the gage-lingers, the latter is thrown back to the rear end of the slit, as already stated, thereby turning the type-wheel to bring the type which corresponds to the slit up under the plain fillet, be neath the pressing-cylinder. Whenthe type wheel moves it bears back the spring-pawl a and pawl-arm b to oscillate the time-shaft and release the detent-arm 03 from the front stop c so that the camshaft shall be turned by its drivingi'orce and throw the pointot' the detent-arm 0 against the rear stop w. At the instant the type-wheel stops, the pointer the spring-pawl just clears the side teeth, thus allowing the time-sh aftto be tipped forward by its driving force, and again thro'w forward the pawl to engage the teeth farther under the wheel. The forward tip of the time-shaft clears the rear stop 20 from the detent-arm,

and permits the cam-shaft to revolve, so that its cams m j shall simultaneously, as near as may be, apply the brake to'the drivi ngpulley B, for stopping the feed of the slittedpaper,

and bring down the pressing-cylinder to bear the plain fillet upon the type for taking the impression. The camshaft rotates untilthe.

detent-arm is again arrested by contact with the front stop '0 which is thrown down, When the time-shaft is tipped, to clear the detentarm and stop :0

The oscillations of the time-shaftare limited by an inclined plate, 50 attached by a setscrew, as", to the side of the upright A innuediately over the stops '0 10. By varyingthe. inclination of the plate the oscillations of the time-shaft are also variedto adjust the-throw of the spring-pawl with respect to the type-:

wheel.

As soon as the impression is taken themtation of the cam-shaftcarries round the cams I m j the first to release the brake and unlock the drivingpulley B, so that the slitted fillet of paper may continue its forward movement over the guidebeth'and the second tothrow up the pressing devices,feed the printingfillet of paper forward, and release the type-wheel; in order that it may be returned to its first position by the weight, as hereinbci'ore described. In the return movementof the typewheel its side teeth strike the point of thelocking-pawl a, which, owing to its supporting-spring, yields readily for their-passages Thus at each oscillation of thetime-shaft, andand the various parts returned to their first positions, ready to repeat the operation,when

another slit in the record-fillet releases the gage-finger.

' When theprintin g devices are pressed down to do the printing, a short correcting tooth,- e, on the under side of the spring-arm a, euters between the two top teeth on the side of the type-wheel, for the purpose of looking it in position and causing it to register accurately with the platens of the pressing cylinder. This provision insures a correct impression of the type.

The speed at which the slitted record is fed over the guide-bed is practically the same under all circumstances, but the speed of the shaft j must be adjusted relative to the feed of the slitted record for the purpose of securing the proper throw of the gage-fingers to set the type-wheel. The speed of this shaft is first gaged to the standard length of slits made in the first-produced record, a. 0., the record made by the recording instrument 'her einbefore referred to. If, however,-from any cause the standard length of the slits is varied, the speed of the shaft must be'correspondingly varied. For example, if the slits become shortened, the gage-fingers, when thrown back by the shaft, encounter the rear end of the slits before thetype-wheel has had 7 time to bring up the corresponding types into position for printing. This variation in the standard slits necessitates a slight increase in the speed of the shaft in order that the gage-fingers maybe thrown back alittle quicker to meet the rear ends of the slits. When the slits become lengthened beyond the standard, the gage-fingers throw the type-wheel too far,

- and the speed of the shaft j. must, therefore,

behind the guide-bed sleeve, and carrying atits outer end a long horizontal arm, 1", extending forward, under the gear-wheel S. This arm is connected, by a vertical rod, b, to a second and shorter horizontal arm, 19 pivoted at its rear end to the upright A and jointed at its front end to the center. of the tubular bearing W.

- k is a stop-bar rising from the inner end of the rock-shaft, just behind an upright, q,

attached to the bearing f,and 0"is a flat v spring fastened at its lower end to the front side of the stopbar about midway thereof.

m is a long flat metal strip secured to-the top of the spring, or forming a continuation of the same, and terminating at its upper end in abeveled gage point, which projects through a longitudinal slot in the gage side of the guide-bed at the rear end, as shown in Fig. 1.

The spring gage-point is arranged to move edgewise through the slot in line with a beveled gage-point, i, attached to the side of the guide-bed, and adapted vfor adjustment by means of a slot and set-screw, as shown.

The beveled edges of the gage points are placed opposite each other, so that their outer edges shall form catches to bear against the opposite ends of a slit in the record fillet when such slit is hooked over them.

Instead of arranging the two gage-points in or upon the guide-bed, they may be placed upon the frame of the ifistrument beside the guide-bed, or at any other convenient point.

The gage-point m is adjusted with respect to the gage-point t" by means of a set-screw, 10, passing through the stop-bar to bear with its point against the upright q A spring, 3'', coiled about the rock-shaft, and secured at one end to the bed of the instrument, holds the set-screw against the upright q, and prevents the parallel arms r p from being casually moved up to displace the friction-wheels. When the speed of the shaft is to be adjusted by this mechanism, one end of the longest slit in the record-fillet is hooked.- over the gage-point i. The point m is then placed within the slit, and adjusted up to its oppo-. site end by the set-screw p, the spring of the gage-point preventing the paper from being torn by the back of the point, in case the stopbar is moved too far from the upright q'. afford nicety of adjustment, and to relieve the tension of the spring, a set-screw, r, is employed, passing through the top of the stopbar, and bearing against the back of the spring, as shown in Fig. 1. The operation of the set-screw 19 moves the stop-bar with respect to the upright q, and, through the connecting device, raises or lowers the frictionwheels upon the driving-pulley B and gearwheel S, to change the speed of the latter, and therefore the speed of the shaft j and its gage-fingers proportionally. Thus the variation in the standard length of the slitsvfun nishes the guide for adjusting the speed of the shaft j relative to the speed of the driving puiley, for the purpose of securing the proper throw of the gagefingers, within such slits, to set the type-wheel.

Instead of employing the set-screw p. and coiled spring, to adjust the gage-pointm, right and left set-screws may be arranged in the stop-bar and upright for this purpose; and in place of the several arms for communicating the motion of the rock-shaft to the friction-wheels, a single arm may be arranged upon the rock-shaft, to connect with the tubular bearing of such wheels in any-convenient way.

It may happen that, from inadvertence in the original construction of the instrument, and from the wear of the parts, more particularly the friction-wheels, the adjustment of the gage-points producesa movement of the friction-Wheels slightly more or less than is required. In such case the connecting-rod b is adjusted by-any suitable means upon the parallel arms 12".1', so as to increase or diminish the movement of the friction-wheels when operated by the gage-points, and thereby cause themovement of the latter to produce precisely the required adjustment of the drivingwheel. p

A represents a pair of shears attached to the top of the upright A over the type-wheel, between the printing devices and the guidetable 9 for the purpose of severing the printed record from the plain fillet of paper. The blades of the shears are held apart, so-

that the fillet may travel between them, by a spring, q, connecting the lower blade with a set-screw, g asshown by dotted lines in. Fig. 2, near the foot of the upright. The spring also serves to throw open the blade again, after it hasbeen closed by the operator to cut off the record.

A second spring, q", connects the handle of the lower blade with a set-screw, (1 in the side of the guide-table, for the purpose of holding such'blade up to the stationary blade,

and insure the proper action of their cutting edges. By adjusting the set-screws, the ten-- sion of the two springs is preserved, to render theblades certain in their action at all times. The drawings herein illustrate one form of my invention 5 but I desireit understood that slitted recordyand, thirdly,-mechanism for printing upon a plain fillet of paper after the type have been set.

2. An oscillating type-wheel, having the type arranged upon it inthe order of the frequency of their occurrence in telegraph-messages, and adapted to be set from and returned to the'same point for every letter or sign of the message to be printed, substantially as described. 5 An oscillating type-wheel, adapted to b automatically set from an initial point for everymessage-sign by means of slits in a moving fillet of paper,which slits, by their .;.length, or by the distance between the rear end of one andthe rear end of that next fldjoining, designate the message-signs,and cor respond to the message-signs on the typewheel, substantially as described. I

4. An oscillatingtype-wheel, adapted to be setfrom an initial point for every messagesign by: a slitted message-record, the length of its oscillations to bringthe required type in position for printing being governed by the length of the message-slits in the record-fillet, substantially as described.

5. Setting the type wheel by the message-- slits in the recordfillet, through the medium of gage-fingers, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the feed mechanism with the slitted record-fillet, the gage-fingers,

and the type-wheel, to operate together substantially as described, for the purpose specified. i. l

7. Mechanism by which the slitted recordfillet is adapted to be automatically stopped while an impression is being taken from the type-wheel upon a plain message-fillet, and to be automatically set in motion again after the impression is completed, substantially as de-. scribed. V

8. The combination of a brake with the feeding mechanism, to automatically ,stop the feed of the slitted record-fillet while an impression is being made by the type-wheel upon a plain message-fillet, substantially as described.

9. The combination ot' the brake with the cam-driving" shaft of thepressin g devices, for the purpose of automatically releasing the feed of the slitted record-fillet," to set the latter in motion after the impression has been made by the type-wheel upon theplain messagefillet, substantially as described.

10. The feed mechanism for the slitted record-fillet, consisting essentially of the toothed feed-cylinder and the grooved pressure-roller, substantially as described.

11. The beveled spring-latch I, combined with the arm of the pressure-roller, to lock it out of contact with the feed-cylinder, substantially as described.

12. The arched guide-bed, combined with the feedmcchanism, substantially as described,

for the purpose specified. v

13. The gage-fingers, combined with the arched guide-bed,substantially as described,

for the purpose specified. p 14. The combination of the gage-fingers, the arched guide-bed, and thefeed mechanism for the slitted fillet, substantially as described, for p the purpose specified.

1 5. The pivoted guide-bed, constructed with a slotted arch for the passage of the gagefingers, and with parallel ribs or rails in front and rear of the arch, in line with the slots, to receive the grooves'or tracksot the slitted record-fillet, substantially as described.

16. The cover of the guide-bed,constructed 'with a slotted concavity to fit down upon the arch, and with parallel grooves in line with the slots of the concavity, to "fit downupon the ribs, substantially as described, forthe purpose specifiedr Y 17. The construction of the cover and guidebed to form the deepest space. between them at the rear end, for the passage of the paper {fillet to the ribs andgrooves when twofillets are pasted together at. the ends, substantially as described.

slitted record down upon the ribs'ot' the guidebed, substantially .as described, for the .purpose specified. v

20. The gage-side of the guide-bed, adapted.

for adjustment with respect to the arch and ribs, substantially as described, for the .purpose specified. e

'- 2].. The pressure-bar, held up toor against the arch of the guide-bed, so thatits projections shall bear against the slitted fillet by means of the adjustable springs, substantially .as described.

22. The pressure-baraml cover, ha\*ing a series of projections and spaces, so arranged that the projections upon one shall enter-the spaces of the other when the cover is shut down upon the slitted fillet, for the purpose ot'preventing thela-tter from wrinkling or curling up at the edge, substantially as described. I 4 v 23. The combination of the cams or pins 6 onthe hinge-arms ot' the cover with the guideloops to on the ends of the pressure-bar,-tor thepurpose ot' retracting the pressurc-bar t'rom the fillet of paper when. the cover is swung open, substantially as described. l

24.. The-piutle-bloeks a of the cover-hinges and the spring-block O of the pressure-bar, adapted for adjustment with respect to each other, substantially asdescribed, for the pur poses specified.

25. The gage-fingers, mounted upon the shaft j beneath-the arch of the guid-e-bedso as to move through the slits in the arch, with their points projecting slightly above the same, substantially as described, forthe purpose specified.

' 26. The gage-fingers, having a frictional connection with their supporting-shaft j, in (-lependently of each other by means or the forthe purpose specified.

.27. The combination of the arm a and setdescribed, forthe purpose specified. I

28. The friction-sleeves ot' the gage-lingers, adapted for adjustment upon the shaft j, to

friction-sleeves S, substantially as described,

-screwc with the gage-points, substantiallyas grasp the same with a force proportioned-to pose of moving the gear back to turu Jthepinion m." and set the type-wheel when the; gage-fingers. are thrown back within the slits of the moving record, substantially as (le scribed.

31. The cross-barf held up to the'gagefrom a grooved pulley upon the shaft of the feed-cylinder, through the medium of thecoggearing and the adjustable friction-gearing, substantially as described.

33. The gear wheel S, having its sha ft bearings in the main frame of the instrument,

beneath'the driving-pulley, and connected.

witha pinion, m, on the end of the shaft j by means ofthe'inclined shaft a audits piuions, substant ally as described.

34. Communicating the motion of the driving-pulley to the beveled gear-wheel S. by,

means of two friction-wheels, t,- mounted upon a'vertical shaft, V, so as to bear against the faces of the .pulley and gear-Wheel between their. respective shafts, substantially as. dc.

scribed.

The friction-wheels 1 held up to the faces of the pulley 'and gear-wheel with, an

adjustableyielding pressure, substantially .as

described, for the purpose specified.

cal adjustment upon the faces of the drivingpulley and gear-wheel between the shafts. thereof substantial] as described forthe m1 otherwise roughened .in radial lines, to prevent the friction-wheels .t'rom slipping, sub- J stantially as described, for the purpose speci-..

tied.

38. The friction wheels;t{, 1 composed of" leather, vulcanized rubber, or other yielding substance, to prevent them from slippingnpon the roughened faces of the driving-pulley and gear-wheel S,'substauti: 1lly as described.

39. The shalt of the friction-wheels t, working within a long tubular bearing, W, which is squared upon theoutside, and'fitt ed .withiu suit-able recesses inthe parallel arms 11 to prevent it from turning with the shaft,

substantially as described; v.

40. The adjustableisprings a(!, combinedwith the'parallel varinsy,to'hold the tubular g bearing W within the recesses of the arms, I

substantially as described.

41. The locking-ratchet 3 amt pawl at, in; combination with a the pressilug-cylinder, substautially. as described, for the purposespect.

tied.

42. The combination of the locking-ratchet 3 and pawl 0 the feeding-ratchet w Hand .pawl d-" and the pressiugcylinder, substain' tially as described, forthe purpose specified:

pose specified.

49. The connection between the pressing attachments, in combinationwith" theprinting 43. The combination of the .springstop 0 wi h the feeding-ratchet and arm a substantially as described, for the purpose speci} fied.

. 44. The pressingmechanism, suspended from the frame of the instrumentimmediately over the type-wheel, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

45. The pressin g mechanism, suspended from the frame of the instrument immediately over the type -.wheel by means of an adjustable -for the purpose specified.

47. The correcting-tooth o arranged on the .under side of the arm 0*, to engage with the adjusting-teeth 0 on the. side ot' the typewheel, substantially as described.

48. In a telegraph printing apparatus, the combination of a pressing-cylinder, a drivingshaft, and a springconnection between the two, substantially as described, for the puri and escapement shaft, to release the pressing j mechanism for operation when the type-wheel is set to print the required message-sign, substantially as deseribcal. i

51. The spring-pawl dflsnpported from the time and lstftlptlntllb shat t. bymeans of an upright arin,b, substantially as described.

5;. 'lln-Tstops o w of the time-shaft, in coin bination with the'detent-arm o of the camshaft, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

53. Thecombinationot' tlie adjustable stopplate X with the timc-shaft, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

51. The combinatii'm, with the cam-driving shaft, of a spring which is'compressed bythe driving force of the shaft when the latter is held at rest by a detent, and which exerts its force to the shaft when the detent isreleased, ibstantially asdescribed, for the purposes e. i 1

55. The spring driving-pulley "r combined with the cam-shaft and: its friction-sleeve, subw l Sitllllltliiy'tlSltiLSCllilCli, tor the purpose speclfied. 56. The tin'ie-shal'tandxcam-s bait, and their mechanism, snbstantiall purposes specified.

57. The time andcam shafts,together with theirattachments, in combination with the described, tor the printing mechanismaml the feeding devices fun the slitted record scribed. y

rtillet, substantially as de- -fillet again set in motion, and the t \'pe-\\'heel speedof the'shaft j! relative toLthe spec ot 58. 'The feedin gcylinder for the record-fillet, driven by africtional connection between it and a motor-or prime mover, substantially as described, for the purpose specified. t

59. The time-shaft, driven by a frictional connection between it and a motor or prime mover, substantiallyas described, for the purpose specified. y i t 60. The cant-shaft, driven by a frictional connection between it and a motor or prime iuover, substantially as described, for the purpose' specified. p

61 The feedingrcylindcr for the recordfillet, the time-shaft, and thecam-shat't, each driven bya frictional connection between it anda motor or prime mover, substantially as described,

for the purpose specified. V

62. The several frictional connections, adapt ed for adjustment to regulate theforce with which they grasp their shaftsorsupports,'snbstantially as described,fort-he purpose specia tied. I

63. The stop i for the pressure-roller F, and the brake b for the trod-cylinder B, both mounted upon the same arm, and operated by t the cam m on the driving-shaft, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

.64. The stop i and brake If, adapted for. a djustment upon their supporting-arm, subsjtantially as described, for the purpose. specified,

65., In a prirating-telegraph instrument,-tlie combination of an oscillating type-wheel, a time and escapement shaft, a cam -driving shaft, a pressing platencylinder, niechanisnr for feeding a slitted record-fillet over a gnide bed, and a brake for stopping the motion of such feeding mechanism, all operating antomatically, so that at each oscillation of. the tilne'slial't, and each cor spending revolutionot' the camshaft, the typ 'heelissetfthe movement of the slittedi d-tillet stoppedg and an impressionl taken n the type-wheel 1 upon a plain orprinting fillet of paper, simnlq taneously or in rapid succession,'tlie pressing platen-cylinder lit'ted fromthetype 'wheel, the printing fillet fed 't'orwjard, tlie'slitted record.

returned 'to its norma stantiallylas described H 66. The shaft j,thesp eedotiwhiclt isyad justedto correspond svitlraliy variation in t standardlength ot'thc slitsii tlierecord -fil substantiallyas described specifiedw: l 0

67. Adjusting thespe 1 ofthe shal'tj/ r tive to the feed of thesl' *drecordiby means 0t theslits themselves,.ior the purpose otitsc curing thec propertlirowuotflthe gagefinge within such'slits to. set the ty ic-wlieel, su stantially asdescribed l i l (38. Two gage-points iptedtoenterashtinthe record-finesse as to bear "against opposite ends,and, through suitable in e vening mechanism, adjust the frictiom hot t upon the grooved driving. pulley a firstpositiomsnba gear-wheel's, for the purpose ot' gaging be the driving-pulley, and the consequent feed of the record, substantially as described.

69.'T he gage-point m, adapted for adjustment, within'a slit .of the record-fillet, substantially as described, for the purpose specificd,

v 7 O. The combination of the adjustable stopbar k and rock-shaft z with the gage-point m and friction-Wheels 25, substantially as de scribed, for the purpose specified. 71. The stop-bar k, adapted for adjustment to and from the upright q by means of the set-screw 19', substantially as described.

72. The coiled springj, combined with the shaft 2, to hold the pointof the set-screw against the upright g, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

73. The gage-point m, supported from the stop-bar by a spring, to prevent the back of the point from tearing the paper of the slitted record, When the stop-bar is adjusted out from the upright q., substantially as described.

74. The set-screw r, combined 'with the stop-bar and spring-support of the gage-point m substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

75 The rock-shaft 2', connected. to. the 'r-u bular bearing of the friction-wheels my means of the parallel arms 19 1"", and the connectingrod b, substantially as described.

76.'The connecting-rod b, made adjustaas described, for the purpose specified.

. 79. The combination of thesprin'g-shc'ars With the guideiable g substantially as diescribed, for the purposespecified.

80. The combinatiou' of the gage-fingers and thepressure-roller F, connected by suitable intervening mechanism, by which the roller, when moved out'from thefejed-cylinder, shall return the gage-fingers to the front of the archiu' the guide-bed, substantially as described, forthe purpose specified.

S1. The bent lever 73 andfconnectirig-rod W, 7

in combination Withthe gage-fingers and pressureroller F, substantially as described,

for the purpose specified. Y

' ROYAL E; HOUSEQ Witnesses: v i

. 'J W. KEITH, V

. JON. F. BARRETT. 

